


13 Muscles

by jihanseoks



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: :(, F/M, Goodbye, but kinda not, not in the second pov but it's basically you the reader, she/her reader pronouns, sorry i tried making it gender-neutral but we had a prompt for school, tsukki x reader, wrote this for a class
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26425336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jihanseoks/pseuds/jihanseoks
Summary: "Apparently, it takes 50 muscles to frown and only 13 to smile.”“And that involves me how?”“Are you seriously asking me that, Mr. I-hate-the-world? You literally have a frown on your face 24/7. Maybe that’s why you’re always tired. Try smiling more often. It’s really not that hard.”
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei & Reader, Tsukishima Kei/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 56





	13 Muscles

**Author's Note:**

> not my best work but i couldn't help myself!! tsukishima kei (22) university student works in a museum *passes out*

All his life, Tsukishima Kei has heard the sentence “You should smile more.” It comes in different variations - sometimes people add a phrase about him being more likeable or something along the lines of him not looking like a cold-blooded a-hole. Out of all of the different versions, however, there was definitely one that he liked the most. It wasn’t like it was downright hilarious or mean - it was… well, to him it sounded ridiculous.

He heard it first from one of his best friends- someone who he met during high school but eventually became closer with when they went to the same college. They were back in Kei’s dorm, her so-called stupid heels and his sneakers sprawled messily in the entrance. The smell of instant ramen surrounding the living space, Masterchef reruns playing in the background. Legs sprawled all over the living room floor, lights dim - the lamp in the corner of the room and the electronics around them being the main sources of light.

“You know, Kei,” A pause in what used to be fingers typing fastly. “I learned something new in Bio today.”

“I’m working.” was Kei’s answer. Focusing on the reading in front of him, he didn’t really want to hear his best friend’s stories - at least not now.

“You are such a grinch.” A smack. Kei looked to his feet to see a pillow covering his feet. He let out a sound of disapproval and went back to his work. “Anyway, as I was saying, I learned something new. Apparently, it takes 50 muscles to frown and only 13 to smile.” She said going back to her essay.

“And that involves me how?”

“Are you seriously asking me that, Mr. I-hate-the-world?” She scoffs. “You literally have a frown on your face 24/7. Maybe that’s why you’re always tired.” She said as she started annoying Kei by nudging his legs with her foot.

“Tch. Quit it.” He said, glaring at her and then her foot then back at her. “I’m working.”

“Stingy.” She said with an eye roll. “Try smiling more often. It’s really not that hard.” And with that, she went back to work.

The thing with cold-hearted Tsukishima Kei was that he barely showed any emotion. Ice cream in the fridge? Absolutely no reaction. A baby laughing? A soft hum and a nod. A character in a movie dying? “He was obviously going to die.” It wasn’t like he was heartless, it was just that he didn’t see the need to give out emotion.

That, however, changed.

Once upon a time, on the day before the holiday break, said best friend came barging in the museum doors where Tsukishima worked, demanding she wanted a museum tour by his very best friend.

“For the nth time, why?” Kei said as the two of them walked back to the staff area where he was having his break.

“Because as your best friend, it’s my job to both annoy and support you at the same time.” She said flipping her hair to the side. With a laugh, she handed him a small paper bag. “Here take this. I passed by the cafe on the way here and decided to get you something.”

He took a peek inside and saw his favorite strawberry shortcake. A frown. “Did you do something bad?” Tsukishima asked lowering down the bag as they neared the staff room.

“I hate you so bad.” His best friend replied and giving him a small punch on the shoulder. “I just wanted to spend time with you before I went home.” She said with a shrug. Ah, it finally made sense. Tsukishima wasn’t going home for the holiday break and while the reasons are completely acceptable, he couldn’t help but feel bad. His best friend knew this which is why she went to cheer him up.

A small smile. “Thanks.” He said as they reached the staff common room. He placed the cake in the refrigerator just to be faced with his best friend basically lying down on the sofa.

“Can we stay here for a while? Please?” She said, a pleading look on her face.

“You look like an idiot.” A smile.

Tsukishima ends up getting the cake back out and the two of them talk about their day whilst eating. Some of Kei’s coworkers went in and out, all acknowledging the presence of new blood in their common room. After eating, they went out to do the museum tour. To Kei’s surprise, his best friend actually booked some tickets and was his next schedule after his break. They started with the pre-historic section as per usual.

“So here we have the dinosaur exhibit. These models were-” Tsukishima was saying until he was cut off by the one and only.

“Wait, Kei, listen to this.” They stopped in front of the biggest bone models in the museum, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. “Why did the dinosaur die?” Silence. “He was blown up by dino-mite.” Not a second later the two burst out laughing - well, giggling because they’re in a museum - at the corny joke.

“You are so stupid,” Tsukishima said, trying to control his laughter.

“Made you smile didn’t I?” She said, a glint in her eyes.

_ “Try smiling more often. It’s really not that hard.”  _ Tsukishima was brought back to a few weeks ago when they had that conversation. A soft look grazed upon his face and her’s too.

“I really wish you could’ve gone home too.” She said, facing the number of displays around the room.

“It’s okay.” A smile, a bigger one this time. “I can go back next time.”

She looks at him again, eyes filled with unwavering determination. Unknowingly, his smile grew even bigger as he said, “Come on. Let’s go to the paintings, I know you like it there.” Minutes turned into hours and the tour ended. Tsukishima accompanied his best friend back to her apartment.

“Text me when you get there okay?” He said as he sent her off.

“Will do.” She answered back with a smile. “Take care here okay? Text me when you’re lonely.” She said with a teasing tone. The two laughed and pointing to the door, Tsukshima said - still laughing by the way, “Go.”

It is a known fact that Tsukishima Kei is a man that doesn’t let emotion seep through his features. Stoic, cold - that’s what he was. But maybe, just maybe…

“... and that ends the tour for the prehistoric era. You have around 10 minutes to look around before we continue the tour.”

It was the day after Christmas, the museum open for tourists and avid museum-goers and sadly, Tsukishima Kei was working. Instead of being miserable and grumbling behind his phone to his friends, he decided to admire the scene in front of him. On his left were children admiring the dinosaur figurines while on his right were a group of moms admiring the displays.

“What’s got you smiling? Are you sick?” One of Tsukishima’s coworkers approached him in a teasing manner. “What has gotten into you? The past few days you’ve been smiling more.”

“I act like a grinch, you all complain and now that I’m not, you question it?” Tsukishima said an amused tone in his voice.

“You know that’s not what I mean.” His coworker said. “Did something happen?”

Tsukishima Kei is many things. A cold-hearted prince, the stingiest person you’ll ever meet. “Nothing really.” He said, again a smile on his face. “I was just told that smiling only uses 13 muscles while frowning uses 50. Might as well not make the extra effort and smile instead right?” He was definitely many things but before anything else, he needs to first start allowing himself to be happy and it starts with this.

_ Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. _

Static. “Hello?” A smile.

“Hey. How’s home been?”

**Author's Note:**

> go crazy brr go stupid


End file.
